Single Cell RNA Sequencing in Autoimmune Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases: Current Applications, Challenges and a Step Toward Precision Medicine

Frontiers in Medicine

Snežna Sodin-Šemrl²  Polonca Ferk³  Brane Leskošek³  Tadeja Kuret⁴ 

[1] Department of Rheumatology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia;Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, University of Primorska, Koper, Slovenia;Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Biostatistics and Medical Informatics/ELIXIR-SI Center, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia;Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Cell Biology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia;

关键词: single cell;    RNA sequencing;    rheumatoid arthritis;    systemic lupus erythematosus;    systemic sclerosis;    precision medicine;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fmed.2021.822804

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) represents a new large scale and high throughput technique allowing analysis of the whole transcriptome at the resolution of an individual cell. It has emerged as an imperative method in life science research, uncovering complex cellular networks and providing indices that will eventually lead to the development of more targeted and personalized therapies. The importance of scRNA-seq has been particularly highlighted through the analysis of complex biological systems, in which cellular heterogeneity is a key aspect, such as the immune system. Autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases represent a group of disorders, associated with a dysregulated immune system and high patient heterogeneity in both pathophysiological and clinical aspects. This complicates the complete understanding of underlying pathological mechanisms, associated with limited therapeutic options available and their long-term inefficiency and even toxicity. There is an unmet need to investigate, in depth, the cellular and molecular mechanisms driving the pathogenesis of rheumatic diseases and drug resistance, identify novel therapeutic targets, as well as make a step forward in using stratified and informed therapeutic decisions, which could now be achieved with the use of single cell approaches. This review summarizes the current use of scRNA-seq in studying different rheumatic diseases, based on recent findings from published in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies, as well as discusses the potential implementation of scRNA-seq in the development of precision medicine in rheumatology.

【 授权许可】

Unknown